LaToya Kennedy - Student Success

LaToya Kennedy

LaToya KennedyCompton College alumna LaToya Kennedy is one of three generations of family members who were educated at Compton College, several of whom have selected careers in healthcare. “Compton College is like a legacy for me and my family,” she said. “I estimate more than 10 family members have attended Compton College including my mother, aunts, several cousins, and my twin daughters.”

Kennedy graduated from Compton College in June 2023 with an associate degree in nursing, passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on the first attempt in August 2023 despite testing anxiety, and now works as a registered nurse in the emergency room at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles.

A non-traditional student and mother of three who had enrolled in college four or five times over the years says that life circumstances always seemed to interrupt her studies. She first enrolled at Compton College in 2008 and was excited to be accepted to the nursing program. “I had a dream of becoming a nurse since I was a teenager, but circumstances over the years would not allow me to do it. Even when I tried to push through, I’d get knocked down,” said Kennedy. “The year 2020 was the true starting point where I told myself no matter what is going on around me, this is it, I’m going to complete my education. My determination paid off.”

Kennedy chose to become a nurse because she has a genuine passion for helping others and cares about those in her community. “When I was a teenager, I unfortunately witnessed my grandfather not being treated very well from a patient care perspective when he had complications after a surgery,” Kennedy said. “I have other family members that were nurses and were very caring. I remember thinking at the time, maybe I can do that and be a compassionate, caring medical professional.” In the early 1990s, she worked as a certified nursing assistant. She later attended adult school and became a licensed vocational nurse. In 2010, she secured a position working in the emergency room at Memorial Hospital in Gardena. In 2022, she moved to the infection control department at Memorial Hospital, while also completing the nursing program at Compton College.

“Growing up in Lynwood, I’ve always felt Compton College is where I belong; it’s my foundation,” said Kennedy. “After a chance reconnection in 2020, Interim Associate Dean of Nursing Dr. Shirley Thomas, who has always been an inspiration to me, encouraged me to re-enroll in Compton College’s nursing program. I was thrilled to be accepted!” 

Once fully immersed in the nursing program, she took advantage of Compton College’s student support services and resources. She enrolled in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) – a state-funded program with many benefits for eligible students to aid in college completion, had regular appointments with her counselors to stay on track, signed up for tutoring services, and visited the Writing Center, which she said helped vastly improve her writing skills. “The staff are very helpful and make you feel comfortable,” she said. “Compton College is home to me. I always felt that if I can make it here, I can make it anywhere.”

 Kennedy is currently applying to private colleges/universities that offer a bachelor’s degree in nursing via distance learning and hopes to be accepted for fall 2024. She has set a future goal of becoming a clinical nursing instructor at Compton College. “The hands-on learning experience in nursing is very important,” she said. “I believe that the clinical instructor also serves as a mentor and helps instill confidence in nursing students. I feel like I can be a good mentor and clinical instructor.”

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